Nokia starts internal carbon offsetting plan

CHINA WATCH An insider told Greenbang China that Nokia has started a new green initiative: a voluntary carbon-offsetting scheme for all flights taken on Nokia business.
As the internal email tells employees:

“Carbon offsetting a flight at Nokia is now part of the travel process. After a trip, the traveller can go to the dedicated Climate Care website for Nokia employees. When entering the flight details, its CO2 emissions are shown along with the cost of carbon offsetting the flight(s).

Carbon offsetting flights at Nokia is initially voluntary. This means that the cost to offset a flight(s) needs to be approved by cost center managers. The offset is purchased with the traveller’s credit card and a receipt printed for submission just as with any other travel expense claim.

Sounds rosy, but look again at the procedures – Nokia employees are apparentlty skeptical about it.
And does carbon offsetting really work? Not all people are convinced by carbon offsetting, and some think offsetting is more about guilt reduction than emissions reduction.

Besides, how can this small contribution actually offset the emission? As one employee learned, his next business trip between Beijing and Copenhagen (14,382 KM) produces 2.02 Tonnes of CO2, and only costs €22.05 to offset the CO2.

Offsetting as a last resort is fine. But only as a last resort – not as an optional guilt remover…